


counting stars

by hueningssi



Category: TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Huening Kai-Centric, M/M, but i love it, clueless!kai feat. unhelpful bandmates, i just need some excuse to throw in allkai in there lol, soobin will appear in the next chap don't worry pls, sookai is seriously too much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-01-04 08:02:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18339515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hueningssi/pseuds/hueningssi
Summary: “Then why Soobin-hyung hates me?”Beomgyu lowers his hands, mouth gaping wide. “…what?”“He hates me.”“Okay, I mean this in the kindest way possible,” he says. “What the fuck?”or; Kai is struggling with his Soobin-hyung-hates-me agenda and the others try to help. Unsuccessfully.





	1. Chapter 1

 

 So, Kai has been thinking.

 

Which is not a bad thing, of course. Not at all, not in the slightest bit, but sometimes he thinks about the stupidest thing ever known to man and other times, he doesn’t really know _how_ to stop.

 

So yeah, back to topic; he’s been thinking. What he’s been thinking about? Well.

 

_Well._

 

Currently, he’s thinking about those precious penguins he’d saw at the aquarium and how much he wants to pet their bellies, but he can’t say that the thought of someone doesn’t cross his mind every five seconds. That someone being his leader-hyung, his sometimes-not-really-a-hyung, his Soobin-hyung.

 

Kai scratches his cheek, then shrugs.

 

_Yep._

 

Not stupid at all. His thoughts are valid, okay?

 

Kai snaps out from his daydream when he feels a sudden nudge against his arms. Looking up, he finds Beomgyu hovering over him, unintentionally blocking the fluorescent lamp from his tired eyes.

 

“Ning!” The elder grins widely at him, hands landing on each of his cheeks to squish and prob. “I’m bored~  Wanna prank someone?”

 

Kai blinks cutely, his brain automatically translating to; “Yeonjun-hyung?”

 

“Well, not _that_ one. I’ll definitely pass that one.” Beomgyu begins to sweat nervously at the mention of their oldest hyung. “Let’s just say that I’m not going to mess with him anytime soon. That umbrella attack is enough to scar me for life—” he shudders, “Anyway, what about Soobin-hyung? He’s an easy target!”

 

The younger boy frowns when he hears that particular name.

 

_Why?_

 

Suddenly feeling down, Kai reaches out to grab the hem of Beomgyu’s sleeve, tugging lightly. Despite his insistence, Beomgyu still doesn’t budge from his position beside Kai’s lying form, too focused on his plan of doom to even notice the way the latter’s expression has turned sour.

 

“—how’s my plan? Don’t you think it’s perfect—!” he yelps when Kai yanks him down roughly without a warning. To both their relief, Beomgyu manages to land safely beside Kai’s crumpled form. He lays on his side, looking at the youngest with a small pout on his lips. “Don’t be so rough, okay? You don’t want to damage this beautiful face, maknae.”

 

Kai giggles before opening his arms wide to engulf Beomgyu inside a bear hug. Like a magnet, the elder immediately wraps his hands around Kai’s waist, pulling him close.

 

“Ah, you smell so good, maknae.” He says while rubbing his nose into Kai’s hair, his voice soft and clearly fond. Beomgyu is practically smothering Kai with his body and attention, but Kai doesn’t mind, not even a bit. He really needs this, after all. “Feeling clingy, huh?”

 

Kai hums, hand reaching out to pat Beomgyu’s tummy in response. He loves patting his hyungs’ tummies. Especially Soo—

 

He pauses, his frown returning in full force.

 

“Hyung?”

 

“Hm~?”

 

“Am I annoying?”

 

Beomgyu whips his head so fast that their heads almost collide with each other. He looks like he’s ready to throw hands and Kai doesn’t really know whether to feel flattered or miffed. “What? Of course not! Who said that? I’m going to—”

 

“Then why Soobin-hyung hates me?”

 

Beomgyu lowers his hands, mouth gaping wide. _“…what?”_

“He hates me.”

 

“Okay, I mean this in the kindest way possible,” he says. “What the fuck?”

 

“Hyung!” Kai slaps his bicep hard, looking scandalized. “That’s a bad word!”

 

Beomgyu rolls his eye. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyway, back to topic. You think he hates you? _That_ hyung? _Hates_ you? Why?”

 

“You know why. He keeps giving me those stink eyes whenever we’re together,” he whines. “And I’m pretty sure, like a hundred percent sure that he even used sarcasm on me multiple times _. Sarcasm_.”

 

“You mean like that time when we’re doing vlive?” Kai groans. It’s an unwritten rule to never bring up that particular topic in front of the youngest, ever. But then again, he should have learned by now that they will always find an alternative to tease him about it. “Oh baby, everyone knows that he’s only playing with you. What are you even talking about?”

 

Kai chooses to ignore that part, clearly still stumped up with his Soobin-hyung-hates-me agenda. “But I can _feel_ it in my bones. He definitely hates me.”

 

The older boy sighs, clearly exasperated. “Why even that thought ever crossed your mind, I would never know. That hyung loves you to the moon and back, okay? If it were anyone else…” he shudders, face paling slightly from the image conjured in his mind. “You’re one lucky kid to have someone like him so whipped for you.”

 

 “Don’t call me a kid when you’re shorter than me,” Kai says, totally missing the point.

 

“I swear to god—stop calling me short! We’re just 2.5 cm apart! _2.5 cm_!”

 

“Yeah, I know. 2.5 cm shorter than me.”

 

“Oh for fuck’s sake—”

 

“Language!”

 

 

+x+

 

 

Kai peeks inside, “Hyung? Niel-ie? Jjuni-hyung?”

 

“Hm? Oh, it’s you, Ning.” The eldest flashes him his trademark toothy smile before returning back to his phone.  “What is it?”

 

“I’m—” he pauses, unsure as what to say. Sad? Hurt? Angry? Hungry? Hangry? “—lonely.”

 

Without even sparing him a glance, Yeonjun opens his arms wide. If there’s one thing about Yeonjun that Kai loves the most, it would be his quiet way of caring. When any of them need a place to vent, their oldest would be there without them asking. Already feeling a bit better, Kai waddles eagerly inside the room before collapsing on his lap.

 

“Something’s wrong?” Yeonjun asks, his long fingers automatically latch themselves between Kai’s unruly locks. “You look upset.”

 

Kai shakes his head, shuddering softly when one of Yeonjun’s fingers accidentally brushes against his ear. His touch is cold, unlike Soobin’s, but he loves it anyway. “No. Just lonely. Super lonely.”

 

“Really?” he hums again, eyes still fixated at his phone. “You’re not lying, are you? Hyung will be very disappointed if you are.”

 

“No,” he says while snuggling deeper against Yeonjun’s shirt. “I just want to cuddle with you hyung. You know I like your hugs the best—when you’re not tickling me, of course.”

 

He laughs then, loud and boisterous before he flashes a lazy smirk at him. “Wait until I tell Soobin this, he’ll flip.”

 

Hearing that particular name does wonder to his mood. Kai purses his lips tight, suddenly feeling annoyed. Why everyone always mentions Soobin in front of him? His sole purpose coming here instead of watching his favorite anime was to get some cuddles, not to remember the reason _why_ he needed those cuddles in the first place.

 

He’s about to stand up and lock himself in his room to until he feels cold fingers on his right cheek, prodding and pinching at the nonexistent fat left in there. He peers up to find out that Yeonjun’s eyes are no longer fixated on his phone, and instead they are on him now, looking worried.

 

“You okay there, Ning?”

 

“Hyung?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“I need to ask you something. But please don’t judge me.”

 

“I would never judge you.”

 

“Uh-uh. We both know that’s a lie.”

 

“Shut up and ask me already, brat.”

 

“Well,” Kai bits down his lower lips, “Do you, um, do you think Soobin-hyung hates me?”

 

Yeonjun almost chokes on his spit and damn, does it look painful. “W-What the fu—where the hell did you get the idea from?”

 

“He—I don’t know,” he whines, clearly frustrated. “He always stares at me like I’m going to do something bad. Like—like he’s trying so hard not to snap, you know? I feel like he hates me.”

 

Yeonjun blinks a couple of times, turning from his tablet to look at Kai, not really able to hide his bewildered expression. The longer it takes for Yeonjun to reply, the more Kai's eyes narrow.

 

“Damn, you’re serious.” Yeonjun whistles. “Really, Kai? Are you fucking with me?”

 

Kai’s face scrunches up. “That’s a bad word, hyung! Why are you like this?”

 

“I mean,” he clears his throat, seemingly embarrassed to be caught cursing in front of a literal child. “What the heck? You’re not kidding, are you?”

 

“I’m not! What should I do, hyung? I want to talk to him like a normal human being but I’m afraid that he’s going to give me the evil eyes again.” he whimpers.

 

“Well, whose fault was that?” Yeonjun flicks his forehead. “You should stop teasing him. He would never hate you, Kai, but it doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t be mad at you. Because let’s be real; no matter how much I love you, _I_ would be very annoyed if I were on his shoes.”

 

That hits him straight in the feels.

 

“But I’m…” he mumbles softly, lowering his gaze downwards. “I just want to—.”

 

“Wait, listen to me first. I know you like Soobin the most, which is kinda low even for you because we all know I’m a way better than that rabbit monstrosity—” he tries to joke but then falters when he sees Kai’s detached face. He immediately wraps his arms around Kai’s waist, hands sliding up and down to stroke his back. “Hey, hey, don’t look like that. He doesn’t hate you, okay? Trust hyung on this.”

 

Kai lowers his head in shame. “But…”

 

“Ningning, please.” Yeonjun sighs. “Just try to not cling on him too much okay? He needs his space sometimes, you ought to understand that. You can cling on me instead, yeah? Tae and Beomie too. We wouldn’t mind. It wouldn’t be any different right?”

 

“No. I love spending my time with all of you too, it’s just.…” Kai stops, mind fumbling around. “Not being with of him… I’m still not used to it?”

 

“Why would you say that?” he asks.

 

Kai blinks at the simple question, his eyes straying into the wall behind where their group photos are displayed and immediately locks his sight at Soobin’s smiling face. Looking at him now, their leader looks better than the shy, soft-spoken boy he knew from three years ago. He’s older, now. Stronger. And he certainly doesn’t need Kai as much as he did before.

 

(Soobin-hyung doesn’t need him anymore, how could he get used to it?)

 

“I don’t know,” he muses out loud. “I just do.”

 

“Hey,” Yeonjun says again, but this time gentler. “You could at least try. Hyung will help, promise.”

 

This time it's Kai's turn to be silent. He puckers his lips and knits his brows, seemingly deep in thought. His silence lasts for a while until Yeonjun ruffles his head again, a sweet smile on his face.

 

“Baby steps, alright?”

 

Kai swallows.

 

“Yeah. Baby steps.”

 

 

+x+

 

 

“So, what’s wrong?”

 

Kai pinches the bridge of his nose, suddenly feeling stressed. “It’s nothing, Tae.”

 

“Don’t even try. There’s no way I didn’t notice how weird you’re being these past days, so spill.”

 

“Weird how?”

 

“For one, you were really quiet, like really quiet, even when you’re with me. Second, you kept biting down your lips every damn time we’re trying to start a conversation with you, and we both know you only do that when you’re nervous about something.” he pins him with this look. “And the last straw was when you stopped clinging to Soobin-hyung. I mean, you didn’t even pat his stomach yesterday. That was the weirdest shit you’ve ever done and I’m seriously freaked out. So let me repeat my question again, what’s wrong?”

 

With a loud sigh, he slumps down into Taehyun and the latter immediately wraps his inside a hug.

 

“Me.”

 

“Huh.”

 

“I’m the wrong one.”

 

“I know that much you dummy,” he flicks his forehead gently. “Now, what about Binnie-hyung? Why did you suddenly ignore him like that?”

 

“I think—” he pauses, then, in a smaller voice, “I think he hates me…”

 

 _“He what?”_ Taehyun echoes in disbelief. “You… you think he hates you?”

 

Kai nods while playing with the button of Taehyun’s pajamas. “I mean, can’t you see it? He totally hates me.” he whisper-talks to him, which is useless because there’s no one here besides the two of them. “He even started to ignore me back. That really hurt.”

 

The younger boy is silent for a while before he blurts out; “Are you being serious right now?”

 

“Yes?” Kai cratches his cheek, clearly confused. “Why would I be joking?”

 

“I can’t believe this.”

 

Kai frowns.

 

“So,” Tahyun begins after a full minute of staring. “You think that he’s he hates you, like, hate _hate_?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yes. _God._ ”

 

“…fine.”

 

That shuts him up, silence falls between them for a moment before Kai flicks his pretty eyes at Taehyun’s skeptical ones. He keeps staring at the older boy, obviously waiting for a continuation or better, advice, but Taehyun only stares back at him with his trademark blank look.

 

“What?”

 

He pouts.

 

“Stop being so damn cute for a moment oh my god.” Taehyun groans pitifully while clutching his chest in mock hurt. “Yes, yes, you’re cute. Now stop.”

 

“But Taehyunnie, he doesn’t even want to sit with me,” he whines, burying himself deeper into Taehyun’s warmth. He hates feeling so helpless. “What should I do?”

 

The elder shrugs his shoulder. “Not my problem.”

 

“Hyunnie~ Help me,” he whines again. “I seriously don’t know what to do.”

 

“Again, not my problem.” He smirks down at the older boy. “Besides, without him in the picture, you will spend more time with me instead of clinging on him 24/7. Who am I to complain?”

 

Kai stares at him with disbelief. “Are you telling me that you knew and you did nothing?”

 

“Yep.” Taehyun says with a big, smug smile.

 

This is the first time in the two years that he feels like feeding his dearest bandmate with loads of mountain stones. And no, he’s no joking this time. Not even a slightest bit.

 

“If you’re not my best friend I swear I will strangle you in your sleep.” he murmurs under his breath.

 

The said person raises his brow at him. “What was that?”

 

“Nothing.” He gives Taehyun a tight smile. “So back to the topic, help, please? I’m seriously at lost.”

 

“Well, you’re the one at fault. Why should I help you anyway?”

 

Kai has to smother a laugh, very nearly choking in the process before he gives Taehyun a once over; lest he’s joking but apparently he is dead serious and it makes the situation even more ridiculous. _“What?”_

 

“You were the one who ignored him first, you dumbass. Now that he’s ignoring you back why are you whining at me?” He says.

 

“I didn’t mean to. Yeonjun-hyung told me to not cling at him too much but you know how hard it is for me to hold back. So I decided to just ignore him completely and now he’s ignoring me too and I’m dying, Hyunie, _I’m dying_.” he whines. “How do I fix it?”

 

“And you think I know the answer because…?” Taehyun raises his brow at him. “Seriously, you are like, his little chick or something. You ought to know him best.”

 

“But he’s—” he pouts, “Whatever. Just tell me how to win him back.”

 

“Win him back? Do you think this is some sort of drama or something?” Taehyun grumbles under his breath before he touches his chin; a smart thinking pose, he’s always said. “But fine. What does hyung love the most? Beside us obviously.”

 

Kai automatically says; “Pizza, songs, and stars.”

 

“Aren’t that your favor—ugh, whatever.” The elder gives him a small smile before he holds out his hand to wreck a mess of his unruly hair. “Just take him to the rooftop later. The view there is the best, right? Go stargazing with him and bring along your cassette player. Serenade him or something, I’m sure that he would love that.”

 

“Hyuntae.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“You’re a genius.”

 

Taehyun grins then reaches out to pinch Kai’s cheek.

 

“I know. Good luck, ning.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

_I got him, just wait on the rooftop._

 

That’s what Taehyun had texted him ten minutes ago, short and simple and left nothing to be questioned. Kai lays on the picnic blanket he’d borrowed from his sister last weekend with his eyes wide open, trying to put his thoughts into words. God, he feels so nervous when he thinks about this half-baked plan of theirs. There’s a big, like big _big_ probability that Soobin would walk away the moment he sees him instead of Taehyun and then what?

 

_What should I do if it happens?_

 

And that, is the moment when he sees Soobin walking from afar, all bundled up in his thick, red sweater and a pair of oversized boots. Almost immediately, Kai rises up from his lying position on the floor to wave his hand at the elder, all his previous thoughts already forgotten.

 

“Hyung, right here!” Kai scoots a few inches away from the center, patting the space beside him excitedly. “You can sit here!”

 

Kai sees him pause by the door of the rooftoop, face eerily blank like he’s contemplating whether to continue walking or just turn around and get the hell away from this place. He prays that he would choose the former because _damn_ , all of this, for nothing? Seriously?

 

Looks like god answered his prayer because after a minute or so, Soobin chooses to walk towards the spot he’s currently sitting on. But when he finally reaches him, his eyes widen almost comically.

 

“Oh. I’m not hallucinating.” Soobin blinks. “It’s really you.”

 

“Uh,” Kai blinks back at him, waving his hand again awkwardly as he tries to not look overly conscious because _holy shit_ , Soobin looks so damn good in that red sweater from up close. “H-Hi?”

 

Soobin raises his brow at him. “So you were the one who invited me here? Not Taehyun?”

 

“Yeah—I mean no, Taehyun told me to climb up here to accompany you because he suddenly got a stomach ache.” Kai wants to cringe at the obvious lie he’s currently spitting out but holds himself back because there’s no way he’s gonna mess this up again. “You wouldn’t mind spending your time with me, right?”

 

There’s a sudden silence, and Kai has to bit the plane of his tongue hard to stop the barrage of sentences from coming out. It’s hard to keep on going with this charade when he’s looking at him like _that_.

 

“I don’t.”

 

Kai almost jumps in shock when Soobin opens his mouth first. He grips his sleeves hard until his knuckles turn white. Kai won’t lie, for a moment there it felt like mind was about to go on full shutdown. God, couldn’t he give him a warning or something first?

 

“So, strargazing, huh? Been a long time since we did this.” Soobin continues as he sits down on the spot next to him, though there’s still a bit of distance compared from their usual closeness. “The last time was when we finished our debut evaluation, no?”

 

“Yeah.” With a shy smile on his face, Kai looks at him in the eye, his grip on his sleeves tightens conspicuously. “H-How are you, hyung?”

 

Kai sees him pause, his sight fully trained on him. Pretending that nothing’s wrong between them is one thing, but to see him looking at him like that—like he’s trying to read him, to decipher the meaning behind his vague words, is another.

 

“I’m fine,” Soobin finally answers, a small smile on his face. “What about you?”

 

“Nah,” Kai shrugs, lips unconsciously forming a pout as he plays with the hem of his shirt. “I will be once you let me pat your belly and—”

 

Kai stops midsentence when he realizes his mistake.

 

_Huening Kai you’re a goddamn fool._

 

He groans internally. That’s definitely _not_ what he’s planning to say. Sure, he’s dying to touch his soft belly again after weeks of constant self-deprivation but could his thirsty ass stop for a moment and, you know, let him woo Soobin in peace without any belly-talk involved?

 

“S-Sorry, um, you don’t have to respond to that.” Kai lets out a nervous chuckle. “I swear I’m not trying to be creepy or something because I know how uncomfortable it must have been to deal with my clinginess but I just miss you so bad and—”

 

Kai pauses, face reddening rapidly.

 

_Stupid stupid stupid._

 

“A-Ah, sorry for rambling.” Kai forces out an embarrassed laugh as he stands up. “I’m, uh—”

 

His chest begins to fail; the beats are getting faster, but not steadier. It presses his lungs together until he can’t breathe anymore. It hurts – so much – but he can’t afford to be noticed right now. He’s been planning out this night all week so why he keeps messing up everything without even trying?

 

“I will… I will just, you know, leave.” Kai scratches the back of his neck as he tries to hold back his tears. “Sorry for, um, b-bothering you.”

 

Just before Kai can run towards the stairs, Soobin reaches out in time to grip his wrist hard which in turn makes him lose his balance. Kai yelps when he suddenly falls down right onto Soobin’s lap while the latter immediately wraps his arms around him in a tight hug.

 

“H-Hyung?”

 

Soobin ignores his question completely and instead, he tries to settle his chin on top Kai’s unruly hair. When he finally finds the position he’s searching for, he sighs softly.

 

“Is this okay?” Soobin whispers.

 

Kai nods against his chest which is about to burst with fondness. A breeze shivers its way down his collar. For a summer night, it's pretty cold; gooseflesh breaks out all over his arms. But then again Soobin’s arms around him is enough to make him feel warm. Kai snuggles deeper into his hold.

 

“Hyung,” he angles his head a little to look at Soobin in the eye. “You’re not—you’re not mad at me anymore?”

 

Soobin blinks at him several times. He doesn't say anything but in that moment of silence, Kai can hear the hurt in the hanging in the air around his tense shoulders and in the way he’s trying hard so hard to not look into his eyes.

 

“I was never mad, baby,” he whispers softly, “You were the one who ignored me first, remember?”

 

Kai unfolds from his hold, dragging in a bit of distance between them so he can look at his face better. If Soobin sounded like he’s hurt before, this time he sounds like he’s completely broken and it hurts to know that he’s the one who made him like this.

 

“Remember?” Soobin repeats again. “I tried to talk to you countless time and you kept brushing me off every time. I thought you wanted me to stay away so I did.”

 

“W-Well… that’s. I mean,” Kai stutters, trying to find an excuse and yet finds nothing. He bites down his lower lip to keep it from quivering. “I thought—I thought you hated me, okay? That’s why I tried to ignore you. I’m sorry.”

 

Soobin freezes, mouth hanging open in shock. “You thought—what the actual fuck?”

 

Kai slaps his bicep, “Hyung! That’s a bad word.”

 

“Who fuck—freaking cares about that—” he groans loudly. “I mean—Are you being serious right now?”

 

“Y-Yes?” Kai says, though it sounds more like a question in his ears. “I mean, yes.”

 

“Why would you even—” Soobin stops, shaking his head in disbelief as he pins him with this blank, slightly intimidating stare. “Just— _why?”_

 

Kai stares at him back, though not as bravely as he would have liked. “W-Why what?”

 

“Why would you even think that I hate you?” he asks.

 

“Um. You rejected my hug.” He says with a small voice as if he’s afraid to get scolded. Which could probably happen considering the look Soobin’s currently pinning him with. “And you also pushed me away when I tried to pat your belly?”

 

Soobin pinches the bridge of his nose. “That was _one_ time—”

 

“W-Wait, I’m not finished.” Kai cuts him off with a pout. “You keep giving me the stink eyes whenever we’re together. And I’m pretty sure, like a hundred percent sure that you even used sarcasm on me multiple times. _Sarcasm_ , hyung. How could you?”

 

“Honestly, that’s your fault. Don’t pretend like you’re innocent.” Soobin accuses him back. “You kept teasing me at every chance you’ve got. Just be grateful that I didn’t have it in me to be mad at you.” Then, in a mumble, he continues; “Must be because I’m so freaking whipped for you.”

 

“But hyung—!” his pout deepens when he fails to find a valid reason to put the blame on the older boy, “…you teased me a lot too.” he finishes weakly.

 

“I did, but compared to you—ck, you’re like, unstoppable.” Soobin pinches his cheek, stretching and pulling the skin all over the place. “But _honestly?_ Honestly most of the time I’m just pretending to be mad at you. It’s not like anyone can be mad at you anyway.”

 

“But I just—” Kai frowns. “I have this feeling that you’re pretty annoyed with me but you don’t want to confront me about it?”

 

The older boy sighs, clearly exasperated. “Pray tell me why, oh dear maknae?”

 

“Well,” he takes in a deep breath. “You always complain when I cling at you or when I pat your belly. You treat me like I’m not capable to take care of myself. And you always, always gave me this weird look that makes me feel super bad.” he lists down, “Am I too much for you, hyung? Sometimes you looked like you were so fed up with me and my antics. Should I cling on Yeonjun-hyung instead like I’ve been doing for the past weeks? I don’t wanna make you uncomf—”

 

“Don’t you dare! I’m fine with things as they are, thank you.” Soobin immediately objects even before he can finish his sentence. Kai blinks at the sudden outburst.

 

They pause like that for a moment, just staring at each other.

 

“H-Hyung?” he calls out, hesitant.

 

“I mean,” Soobin clears his throat, seemingly embarrassed with his own behavior. “I don’t mind you clinging on me, okay? And I don’t hate you either so stop it with the stupid thoughts.”

 

Kai pouts. “But Jjuni-hyung said—”

 

“What?” Soobin glowers at the name. “What did he say?”

 

“Uh, nothing.” He forces a laugh. “I just don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable, you know?”

 

“Come on, you’re not _that_ bad to make me feel uncomfortable.” Soobin says with a teasing smile, “You’re just too annoying for me to handle sometimes.”

 

“So you _do_ think that I’m annoying,” Kai says with a whimper.

 

Soobin confirms with a nod. “You are. But—”

 

“Hey that’s rude!” he wails.

 

“You said it yourself first, you brat.” Soobin pinches his cheek again for cutting him off. “Anyway, you’re annoying, but not in a bad way, okay?”

 

Kai groans in despair. He reaches out to pat Soobin’s belly because hey, that’s how he copes with stress and sadness alike. Thankfully the latter doesn’t fling his hand away the moment his palm connected with his clothed stomach. The least he can get from this failed plan is to have his daily dose of Soobin’s belly again.

 

“What’s that even supposed to mean? How could being annoying isn’t bad?” he mutters, lips jutting out into a pout. “My head hurts.”

 

“Because you’re annoyingly cute, that’s why.” Soobin shrugs his shoulders as if the answer was obvious. “Your cuteness is practically your safe system so you better be grateful for that.”

 

“But you said that Bamgyu-hyung is cuter.” Kai whines, totally missing the point. Again.

 

“Why you—” Soobin sighs. “You know what, I’m done. Hands off my stomach, now.”

 

Kai doesn’t seem like he hears him, the movement of his hands still steady against Soobin’s covered belly.

 

“Just be honest with me, is Bamgyu-hyung really cuter? What should I do so I can be cuter?”

 

“For god’s sake—”

 

After what seems to have been a century, they stop bickering only to get lost at each other’s eyes. It’s cliché, really, and the way his heart begins to skip a beat is even more cliché, but Kai would be lying if he said that he didn’t like the way Soobin is looking at him right now. Kai can feel words welling up in his throat, tight and hot with anticipation. He parts his mouth to say something, but a finger on his lips suddenly puts him under a trance.

 

“Stay still.”

 

His breath leaves his lungs with a whoosh. Two words—only two, simple words and yet they manage to send a shiver down his spine. Kai holds his breath when Soobin slowly leans down, his heart racing fast.

 

Now that he's close enough that their noses bump with each other, Kai can feel his hot breath against the line of his lips and his hair tickling his forehead. He knows that it’s only a matter of seconds for their lips to touch and when they finally do, Kai immediately closes his eyes.

 

They kiss for what feels like forever before Soobin pulls away to catch his breath, and him doing the same. When they settle again, Soobin's somehow managed to rest his forehead against his, cradling him close enough that they're touching from hip to shoulders.

 

“Binnie-hyung?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Huening Kai is the cutest, is he not?”

 

Soobin rolls his eyes but there’s a fond smile on his face. He then reaches out to move a hair from his face, tucking it behind his ear before he leaves another chaste kiss against his lips.

 

“Yeah, he definitely is.”

  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg finally after years, like, literal YEARS i can finally get this chapter out from my unfinished folder. i guess i miss them so much that i turned to writing because damn, ningning hasn't posted in how many days again? *dies*  
> well, i guess now this fic is over i can finally continue writing a new oneshot and drabbles iwithout feeling guilty lol. i hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading! bye bye~

**Author's Note:**

> i dunno why i wrote this in the first place lol but i guess i can't resist the allkai vibes, it's too strong *shudders*  
> anyway, today sookai posted their selca at the same time lol can they be more obvious xd and also taekai!!! or kaihyun? they're so cute uwu at this rate i'm gonna swerve, again. huhuhu the maknaes are so cute :)  
> well, before i start babbling nonstop, i'm just gonna end it here~ thanks for reading and see ya in the next chap!


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